MBPD Releases First Monthly Crime Report
Apr 22, 2023 10:23AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
Stock photo; not an actual crime event.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department has released its first monthly crime report, for crimes occurring in the month of March.
"Most of the crime occurring in Manhattan Beach is property crime, much of which is preventable," according to the new report. "Securing property by locking vehicles, keeping valuables out of view, and staying aware of surroundings reduces theft. Residential burglaries can be minimized by utilizing working surveillance cameras, motion light sensors, locks to secure garage doors, and locks for gates to side yards. Commercial burglaries can be minimized as well by using working surveillance cameras, keeping little cash on the premises overnight, and utilizing credit card services versus cash transactions."
(Source: Manhattan Beach Police Department. NIBRS is the National Incident Based Reporting System, the national standard for crime data reporting. The "Crimes Against Society" category includes includes drug offenses, gambling, and weapons violations.)MBPD also gave the following summary of crime trends, in order of frequency:
1. Retail thefts generally occur in five minutes or less. Expensive fragrance sets and expensive alcoholic beverages are frequently stolen.
2. Catalytic converter thefts can be completed in under two minutes. Even when witnessed, the crime is often completed before law enforcement is dispatched to the call for service.
3. Vehicular burglaries occur at all hours but are most common in the evening. Criminals look for easy targets. Valuables left in plain sight, unlocked cars, cars parked in dark streets or away from foot traffic are the most targeted for burglary.
4. Residential burglaries occur at all hours of the day. Burglars often work in teams gaining unlawful entry by smashing windows in back or side yards. The trend has been to target French doors on second story balconies of primary bedrooms. Outdoor furniture, trash cans and homeowner ladders are used to gain entry. The primary bedroom is ransacked for jewelry and other valuables.
5. Commercial burglaries typically occur once a business is closed. Windows are smashed to gain entry. Two businesses were burglarized and appeared to be related to eight El Segundo commercial burglaries.
2. Catalytic converter thefts can be completed in under two minutes. Even when witnessed, the crime is often completed before law enforcement is dispatched to the call for service.
3. Vehicular burglaries occur at all hours but are most common in the evening. Criminals look for easy targets. Valuables left in plain sight, unlocked cars, cars parked in dark streets or away from foot traffic are the most targeted for burglary.
4. Residential burglaries occur at all hours of the day. Burglars often work in teams gaining unlawful entry by smashing windows in back or side yards. The trend has been to target French doors on second story balconies of primary bedrooms. Outdoor furniture, trash cans and homeowner ladders are used to gain entry. The primary bedroom is ransacked for jewelry and other valuables.
5. Commercial burglaries typically occur once a business is closed. Windows are smashed to gain entry. Two businesses were burglarized and appeared to be related to eight El Segundo commercial burglaries.
The monthly statistics were summarized in the following graphic:
(Source: Manhattan Beach Police Department)(The arson incident - probably the most curious of the crimes listed - occurred in the 3400 block of Sepulveda, where "an unknown suspect left two piles of feces and an inactive fire pit made out of debris," according to MBPD.)
2,983 Calls for Service in March
For the month of March, there were 2,983 calls for service, according to the report. (Calls for service are defined as incidents that are sent to officers by dispatch, or incidents that officers come across while working.) Of that number, there were 1,090 dispatched calls for service and 1,893 officer-initiated contacts.
The priority emergency call response time was 1 minute, 51 seconds.
All told, there were 127 crime reports taken and 74 arrests.
The largest number of reports came from Patrol Area 4, which is the northeast corner of the city, bounded by Sepulveda to the west and Manhattan Beach Blvd. to the south.
